Marked as a rising conservative star, freshman state Rep. Justin Amash is in no mood to compromise his principles after a resounding win in the 3rd Congressional District.

The Cascade Republican drubbed Democratic lawyer Pat Miles Jr. in a race where spending may approach $2 million, sweeping rural, suburban and many urban areas of the seat.

For starters, he vowed to work to repeal health care reform backed by President Barack Obama and vote against any extension of unemployment benefits.

"I don't think that it's the right solution to extend unemployment benefits. We have to deal with the cause of the problem and not the symptoms."

He also promised to vote against any measure to extend the federal debt limit, saying, "We have to stop borrowing and we have to start being responsible as members of Congress."

Amash said he was not surprised by his margin of victory, as he beat Miles 59 percent to 38 percent.

"We worked very hard. I expected to win big," he said.

Miles said he was "real proud" of his campaign, citing support from "people from all backgrounds and political persuasions."

But he said he wasn't able to surmount a national tide against Democrats, calling it a "tough environment. There certainly were a lot of headwinds."

Miles shelled out well over $500,000 in a campaign that calculated voters would respond to his call for moderation and bipartisanship in a year of political extremes. Amash more than matched him, spending more than $700,000 through Oct. 13 as the pair traded blows in debates and with heavy doses of TV advertising.

He survived a tough Republican primary, defeating state Sen. Bill Hardiman and former Kent County Commission chairman Steve Heacock in a district that includes nearly all of Kent and Barry and Ionia counties.

Miles was overwhelmed in much of Kent County, losing big in outlying townships and suburb alike. Amash won every city in the county except Grand Rapids and East Grand Rapids. Amash beat him more than two-to-one in places like Vergennes Township's 1st precinct, 697 votes to 247, and 2nd precinct, 535 to222. Amash claimed 617 votes in Ada Township's 5th precinct to 212 for Miles. He also swept Ionia and Barry counties by more than 60 percent.

Landscaper Duncan Powell, 53, of Cannon Township, said he voted for Amash because he best represented his own positions on public policy and values.

But while he mostly cast ballots for Republicans in an election some predicted would mark a backlash against Democrats, he insisted, "It's real simple: It's not party affiliation. It's performance."

Bob Bradley, 25, of Cannon Township, a biomedical researcher for Van Andel Institute who leaned toward Democrats in Tuesday's election said he voted for Miles because Amash "seemed like this young guy with zero experience."

But for Kentwood resident John Sellman, 53, Amash was the obvious choice.

"I like the things that he said about government, less government and reigning in taxes. The deficit we are racking up -- the question is can we repay it? It is a concern."

Amash's call for smaller government and tax cuts play well in a party which will assume control of the U.S. House, dominated by Tea Party loyalists and Republicans bent on repealing or at least blocking the Obama agenda.

Amash earned the backing of the Washington D.C.-based Club for Growth, a no-compromise advocate of small government and low taxes. A spokesman predicted Amash would be a "rock star" for limited government the moment he is sworn in.

Miles, 42, is a graduate of Harvard Law School and classmate of President Barack Obama.

The race was marked by lively exchanges between the two, with Miles accusing Amash of selling out jobs to China and Amash condemning Miles for "hypocrisy" for holding a mutual fund invested in China.

In their final debate, Miles accused Amash of lying about his stand on abortion in TV ads while Amash insisted Miles' support of health care reform included taxpayer-funded abortion. Miles lashed out at Amash for his "radical extreme agenda" and Amash hit back at Miles for backing industry tax breaks, calling them "special interest handouts."

Miles raised $677,736 through Oct. 13, including a $190,000 candidate loan and spent $562,048 for the election cycle, leaving him with $115,538 in cash on hand.

Amash raised $818,866 including a $150,000 candidate loan, while spending $714,737, leaving him with $104,128 in cash.

Green Party candidate Charlie Schick, U.S. Taxpayers candidate Ted Gerrard and Libertarian James Rogers finished with less than 1 percent each.